Clutch mechanism



L. H. KAUPKE.

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-HFLICATIOI EILED EEC. 24| 1918- Patented Apr. 27, 1920.

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vL.AH. KAUPKE. y CLUTCHMECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED 050.24. 1918f vPatented Apri 27, 1920.

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L. H. KAUPKE. CLUTCH. MECHANISM.

APPLICT-IQM FILED DEC. 24, |918- 5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

INVBNTOR. 7/

A TT ORNEYS.

L. H. KAUPKE.

CLUTCH MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 24, 191s.

,338, 1 39, v Patentd Apr. 27, 1920.

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UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

LEE H. KAUPKE, OF ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 BOOK. ISLAND PLOW COMPANY, OF ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

CLUTCH IVIECHANISM. i Y

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented AIM- 27, 1920 Original application led April 20, 1916, Serial No. 92,343. Divided and. this application filed December 24,

1918. Serial No. 268,160.

To all 'whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, Inni II. KAUPKE, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of `Rock Island, Rock Island county, Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Clutch Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in clutch mechanism, particularly to the type adapted for use in connection with agricultural implements such as tractor plows.

The objects of my invention are to provide a clutch which is simple and durable in con-' struction, and effective and eficient in operation.

Further objects relate to the provision of a clutch in which the driven member can be readily thrown into engagement with the driving member, and is then automatically thrown out of engagement when the parts have reached a predetermined point.

This application is a division of my application Serial No. 92,343, iiled April 20, 1916, for tractor plows, the present application being limited to the clutch mechanism which I have there shown adapted for use with my improved tractor plow. The various features and objects of my invention will be more readily understoodby having reference to the accompanying drawings, in

which I have illustrated one embodiment of my invention in combination with portions of the tractor plow mechanism.

Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved clutch showing portions of the tractor plow to which it is applied.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a ydetail sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows, showing the parts in the position they assume when the plows are in their lowered position.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing` the parts inthe position they assume when the plows have been raised.

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the clutch mechanism, the plow beam being shown in cross section.

Fig. 6 is a central longitudinal section taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 3.

I have illustrated my invention in connection with a tractor plow comprising a plurality of plow beams 10, secured together at their forward ends by the transverse braces l1 and near their rear ends by the diagonal brace 12., Suspended from these plow beams are the usual plow bottoms 13. The plow beams are supported by a landwheel 14 and a furrow-wheel 15, mounted upon independent axles. These axles are Z- shaped, being formed with horizontal portions or shafts 17 and forwardly and down wardly n extending portions 18 and outwardly extending extensions 19 upon which the wheels are mounted. The horizontal shaft portions 17 are suitably journaled in bearings 20, mounted on the plow beams. The axles of both the land and furrow wheels are thus pivotally mounted on the plow-beams so that when they are swung downwardly and rearwardly they will effect the elevating or lifting of the plow-beams; and vice versa, when the axles are swung forwardly and upwardly about their pivots,

the beams will be correspondingly lowered. The power for raisingV the beams in this manner is derived from the furrow-wheel 15 and is transmitted from this furrow-wheel to the shaft 17 of the land-wheel through the medium of the sprocket-chain 21 which drives the sprocket-wheel 22 loosely mounted upon this shaft. This sprocket is provided with an extended hub 23, upon which is mounted a toothed-ratchet 24, so that this toothed-ratchet is constantly driven during the operation of the plow by the power de f rived from the furrow-wheel. Mounted upon a suitable collar, keyed to the shaft 17, is an arm 25 upon which is pivoted a pawl 26. This pawl is normally held out of engagement with the teeth of the ratchet 24 by means of the spring 27, which engages with the rounded end portion 28 of the arm 25. The construction is such that when the pawl is in the position shown in Fig. 4, this spring tends to hold the pawl out of engagement with the ratchet teeth, but when the pawl has been thrown into engagement with the ratchet, as shown in Fig. 3, this spring bears upon the opposite side of the rounded end 28, and thus tends to yieldingly hold the pawl in engagement with the ratchet teeth.

This pawl is provided with a tail-portion in Fig. 5, which forms bearings for a roller 30 mounted upon a pin 31, which pin eX- tends laterally on each side of the roller 30, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5. Pivotally mounted upon the plow-beam is an operating lever 32 which is adapted to engage with the lateral extension of the pin 31, but is normally held out of engagement therewith by means of the spring 33. INhen the parts are in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, the operator by rocking this lever 32 about its pivot causes this lever to strike the pinV 31, thus forcing the pawl against the spring pressure exerted by the spring 27 into engagement with the ratchet-teeth. By this movement of the pawl, the end of the spring 27 snaps over the end 28 of the arm 25, and thus operates to hold the pawl in engagement with the ratchet. The arm 25 is thus caused to rotate and continues to rotate, thus rotating the shaft 17, until. the roller 30 strikes' the cam-surface 3ft mounted upon the plow-beam. The engagement by the roller 30 with this cam surface rocks the pawl so as to disengage the same from the ratchet 2st, and at the same time throws the tail of the pawl into such a position that the lateral end portions of the pin 3l are engaged by the locking-hooks 35 mounted upon the plow-beam. These hooks thus operate to hold the parts in operated position after the pawl has been disengaged from the ratchet. position, it will be readily understood that the axle 17 has been so rotated as to have the effect of elevating or lifting the plowbeams. l/Vhen it is desired to lower the plows, the operator again pulls on the operating-lever 32, again. causing this lever to strike the pin 31 so as to force this pin out of engagement with the lockinghooks 35. In order to prevent this operation of the hand-lever rocking the pawl 2G to such an eztent as to throw the again into engagement with the ratchet, I provide a stop 36 in the form of a bell-crank which is pivotally mounted to the plow-beam, a spring 37 being secured to the vopposie arm of this bell-crank so that during the initial movement of the pawl 26 the roller 8() upon engaging the top surface of/this bell-crank stop can rock the same downward 'and thus pass this stop; but when the pawl is forced out of `engagement with the locking-hooks 35 the roller 30 strikes against the end-portion of this bell-crankwhich thus limits the movement .of the pawl so as to prevent the same from being throwninto engagement with the ratchety teeth. The pawl 26 and the arm 25 being thus free to rotate, are then rotated back to normal position vby reason of the weightofthe plow bodies carried by the beams, this weight at all times tending` -to rotate the shaft 17 and thus the arm 25.

in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Iiigs. 2, 8 and't. In order to limit tnis lNlien the parts are in 'this turned laterally so as to be in the path of the operating-lever 38, and thus engaged thereby, when this lever is rotated in a,

clockwise direction, as shown in Figs. 2, 2%

and 1. Thus when the clutch is operated and the shaft 17 rotated, as hereinbefore described, the arm 43 is moved away from the hand-lever 38 and moved independently thereof. `When, however, the parts return to their normal position, this return movef ment is limited by reason of the engagement of the inturned end l/.l of this armnl Vwith the hand-lever 38. Thus by adjusting the handslever to its various positions, the eX- tent of this return movement can be regu-V lated, aiid thus the depth to which the plows are lowered into the ground re dily conf trolled.

It will thus be seen that I have devised a very efhcient form of clutch in which the throw of the arm is variable,l depending upon the position of the hand-lever controlled-stop, but that the point of disengagement between the pawl and ratchet al! ways occurs at predetermined pointfthat is, the variation in travel or rotation of the arm on the sha-it which carries the pawl isv brought about by varying the pointon the ratchet with whieh the paw initially en-v gages, while the point of disengagement remains constant. Furthermore, it will be seen that a single spring operates to hold the pawl in and out of engagement with the ratchet and a single operating lever is en ablcd to control both the engagement and disengagement of the pawl with the ratchet.l

lVhile I haveillustrated one partculal embodiment of my invention, und have shown saine in connection with the tractor plow illustrated in my ipiarcnt application hereinbefore referred to. it is, of course, understood that my invention is not so limited,

but that the clutch be applied to other uses and that various changes and modifications in. the cfinstiuetion of the clutch may be suggested to those skilled in the art after having obtained. a 1unowledge of my invention.

l.Vh I claim my invention is:

In clutch. driving iii-embor consisting of v constantly di i ratchet, a member consisting of an arm carrying a pawl, means for forcing said paWl out of engagement with said ratchet at a predetermined point in the rotation of said arm, means independent of said driving member for returning` said arm, and an adjustable hand-lever adjacent said .arm for engaging said arm on its return movement to there. by regulate the extent of such return movement.

2. ln a clutch, a shaft, a constantly driven ratchet loosely mounted thereon, an arm rigid With said shaft, a paivl pivoted upon said arm, means for throwing said paivl into engagement With said ratchet to Athereby ro tate said arm, a tail-portion for said pawl provided with a roller, a cam surface with which said roller is adapted to engage to thereby rock said'paivl so as to disengage same from the ratchet, and locking means adapted to engage said paivl when so disengaged from said ratchet to hold'said arm in operative position.

3. ln a clutch, a shaft, a driving member consisting of a constantly driven ratchet loosely mounted thereon, an arm rigid with said shaft, a pawl pivoted uponsaid arm, means for throwing said paivl into Vengagement With said ratchet to thereby rotate said arm, a tail-portion for said paivl provided with a roller, a cam surface With which said roller is adapted to engage to thereby rock said paivl so as to disengage same from the ratchet, locking means adapted to engage said pawl when so disengaged from said ratchet to hold said arm in operative posi-A tion, means for disengaging said paWl from said locking means, means indepenilent of said driving member for returning said arm, and means for limiting the return movement of said arm.

ll. ln a clutch, a shaft, a driving memberV consisting of a constantly driven ratchet loosely mounted thereon, an arm rigid with said shaft, a pawl pivoted upon said arm, means for throwing said paivl into engagement With said ratchet to thereby rotate said arm, a tail-portion for said pawl provided With a roller, a cam surface With which said roller is adapted to engage to thereby rock said paWl so as to disengage same from the ratchet, locking means adapted to engage said paivl When so disengaged from said ratchet to hold said arm in operative position, means for disengaging said parvl from said locking means, means independent of said driving member for returning said arm, and means for limiting the movement of said arm, said last-mentioned means consisting of an adjustable hand-lever whereby the return movement of said arm may be controlled.

5. ln a clutch, a constantly driven ratchet, an arm loosely mounted With respect to said ratchet, a paivl pivotally mounted upon said arm, a spring normally holding said paWl means for forcing said. paivl into engagement With said ratchet against said spring pressure, said spring then operating to hold said pawl in engagement with said ratchet.

6. ln a clutch, a constantly driven ratchet, an arm loosely mounted'with respect to said ratchet, a pawl pivotally mounted upon said arm, a spring normally holding said paWl out of engagement with said ratchet, means for forcing said paWl into engagement With said ratchet against said spring pressure, said spring then operating to hold said paivl in engagement `with said ratchet, a cam surface adapted to be engaged by said pawl for forcing said paivl out of engagement with said ratchet, and locking means for engaging said paivl for holding said paivl in inoperative position.

7. In a clutch, a coi'istantly driven ratchet, an arm loosely mounted With respect to said ratchet, a paWl pivotally mounted upon said arm, a spring normally holding said larm out of engagement With said ratchet, means for forcing said pavvl into engagement With said ratchet against said spring pressure, said spring then operating to hold said paWl in engagement with said ratchet, a cam surface adapted to be engaged by said paWl for forcing said pavvl out of engagement with said ratchet, locking means for engaging said pawl for holding said pawl in inoperative position, means for forcing said paivl out of engagement With said locking means, and a stop for limiting the movement of said paWl When so released to prevent the same from being again forced into engagement With said ratchet.

8. In a clutch, a constantly driven ratchet, an arm loosely mounted With respect to said ratchet, a paWl pivotally mounted upon said arm, a spring normally holding said arm out of engagement with said ratchet, means-for forcing said paWl into engagement With said :ratchetk against said spring pressure, said spring then operating to hold said paWl in engagement with said ratchet, a cam surface adapted to be engaged by said pawl, for

forcing said pawl out of engagement with said ratchet, locking means for engaging said paw] for holding` said pavvl in inoperative position, means rer forcing said pavvl out of engagement with said locking means, a stop for limitingthe movement of said paivl when so released to prevent the same from being again forced into engagement with said ratchet, said stop consisting of a spring-controlled bell crank adapted to be forced out of the path of said paWl during the initial movement of said pawl, but being adapted to engage said extension When the paWl is released from said locking means to limit the movement thereof.

9. In a clutch, a constantly driven ratchet, an arm carrying a pawl adapted to be thrown into engagement with said ratchet, means for disengaging said pawl from said ratchet, means for holding said pawl in inoperated position, means for forcing said paivl out of engagement With said holding means, and a stop for limiting the movement of said paWl When so released to prevent the same from being again `forced into engagement With said ratchet. t

10. In a clutch, a constantly driven ratchet, an arm carrying a paWl adapted to be thrown into engagement with said ratchet, means for disengaging said pawl from said ratchet, means for holding said pawl in inoperated positpign, means for forcing said pave/l out of engagement with said holding` means, a stop for limiting the movement of said pawl when so released to prevent the same rom being again forced into engagement with said ratchet, said stop consisting of a spring-controlled bell crank adapted to be forced out of the path of said paivl during the initial movement of said paWl, but being adapted to engage said extension When the pawl is released from said locking means to limit the movement thereof.

ll. n a clutch, a rotating ratchet, an arm carrying a paivl, unitary means for throwing said paWl into engagement With said ratchet upon one operation thereof to thereby rotate said pawl, means for disengaging said pawl .from said ratchet, means for holding said pawl in its advanced disengaged position, and means controlled by a subsequent operation cin4 said unitary means for releasing said paWl from said holding means.

Signed by me at Rock Island, Illinois, this 26 day of October, 1918.

LEE H. KAUPKE. 

